Background
Hemmant was born in Kirkgate, Yorkshire, England, to Thomas and Isabella (née Richmond) on 24 November 1837.
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Hemmant was born in Kirkgate, Yorkshire, England, to Thomas and Isabella (née Richmond) on 24 November 1837.
He worked as a draper in London before moving in 1859 to Ballarat, Victoria, where he worked as miner during the gold rush. He moved to Brisbane the following year, where he established a drapery shop with Alexander Stewart. The Great Fire of Brisbane in 1864 was said by some to have started in the Stewart and Hemmant shop, and the two gave evidence during a colonial inquiry into the fire.
Nonetheless, the two built a successful department store and clothing manufactury.
He traveled to England to marry Lucy Ground on the 20 September 1866, and returned to Brisbane early the next year. Hemmant was a director of the Australian Bank of Commerce and an alderman on the Brisbane City Council.
He served as Colonial Treasurer from 1874 to 1876. He is credited with producing four badges as candidates for the Flag of Queensland, from which the current badge, a crowned Maltese cross, was chosen.
After he left politics in 1876, he returned to England with his family, settling in Kent.
He built a house called Bulimba in Sevenoaks. All told, Hemmant and Lucy had 10 children. He died on 20 September 1916, his 50th wedding anniversary.
